Retaining means for sheets, covers or the like



RETAINING MEANS FOR SHEETS, COVERS '03 THE LIKE Filed May 15, 1955 April 23, 1957 J. c. BUDINQUEST 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'INVENTOR. JANE C. BuomQuEs-r,

A rmRwEY RETAINING MEANS FOR SHEETS, COVERS OR THE LIKE Filed May 15, 1955 J. c. BUDINQUEST April 23, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JANE C. BUDINQUEST,

flTTORNEY United States Patent RETAINING MEANS FOR SHEETS, COVERS OR THE LIKE Jane C. Budinquest, Hollywood, Fla.

Application March 15, 1955, Serial No. 494,489

1 Claim. (Cl. -334) This invention relates to the general class of bedding, and has particular reference to an attachment primarily for use upon childrens beds as a means to hold down one or more covers in a manner that prevents the child from kicking or otherwise dislodging the cover.

Many attempts have been made to secure a protective cover over a child, such as pinning, tying, tucking or otherwise atttempting to securely retain the cover in protective position against shifting. However, such means has proven unsuccessful, and in most instances highly inconvenient.

The device of the present invention embodies a textile frame that extends entirely around the marginal portions of the conventional mattress and with the frame having a peripheral upper flange that overlies the mattress and with means connected with the frame at its lower corners that underlie the mattress, and with the peripheral flange being provided with a plurality of fastening devices that have cooperative engagement with a sheet, blanket or the like, or a plurality of such covers. The device further embodies a novel hold down frame that is quickly and easily engaged with the marginal portions of the mattress and which provides a very simple and easily laundered device whereby the operator may quickly and easily connect blankets or the like in a manner that prevents a child from dislodging such blankets.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the ac companying drawings wherein has been illustrated the preferred embodiments of the invention, and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view illustrating a hold down frame and an associated cover device for connection therewith,

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 and with a mattress and associated cover being shown in dotted lines,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary under side plan view of one corner of the hold down frame,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating a modified form of the invention, and

Figure 5 is an under side plan view of a hold down frame illustrating a modified form of the device.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the numeral 5 designates a hold down frame as a whole, embodying a generally rectangular textile frame having side walls 6 and end walls 7. The walls 6 and 7 may be formed of a continuous strip of fabric united at its ends or the walls 6 and 7 may be united with each other at the corners of the device. The frame 5 may be formed of any desirable material, such as the conventional sheeting that is readily washable. Connected around the upper marginal edges of the walls 6 and 7 as through the medium of a seam 8 is a peripheral flange Patented Apr. 23, 1957 9. The connecting means between the flange 9 and the walls 6 and 7 and the connecting means between the mitered corners of the flange portions 9 may be formed in any desirable manner well recognized in the textile industry and disposes the flange 9 in a generally horizontal manner whereby to overlie the upper marginal portions of the conventional mattress 10, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2. Opposite flange portions 9=-, 9 and one end flange portion 9 are provided upon their upper faces with connection devices, such as buttons 11. While the connecting means 11 has been shown as being a conventional button, it will be clearly apparent that other forms of connectors may be employed, such as snap-fasteners or the like. The fasteners 11 constitute the connecting means between the frame 5 and an overlying cover 12. The cover 12 may be of any desirable material of necessary weight to provide a protective means for a child employing the bed. The cover 12 is preferably provided with an arcuate neck opening 13, clearly shown in Figure l. The marginal edges of the cover 12 may be reinforced in any desirable manner and the cover 12 is provided with spaced apart button holes 14 that are spaced in accordance with the spacing of the buttons 11, whereby the cover 12 may be detachably connected upon the flange 9 in fully overlying relation to a child using the bed and effectively maintains the cover in a protective position against the actions of the child in an attempt to kick or otherwise remove the cover. Additional covers may be superimposed upon the cover 12 and connected through the medium of the same buttons 11.

Means are provided to prevent the frame 5 from displacement with respect to the mattress, such means comprising diagonally arranged tabs 15 connected at the lower corners of each of the walls 6 and 7 and with the tabs 15 being stitched to the lower marginal portions of the walls 6 and 7, as at 16. The tabs 15 are disposed in a horizontal plane and underlie each corner portion of the mattress 10. It will therefore be apparent that with the frame 5 being generally conforming to the dimensions of the mattress 10, the tabs 15 will prevent vertical shifting of the frame in an upper direction, while the flange 9 prevents vertical shifting of the frame in a downward direction. It has been found that it is only necessary to support the frame at the corners of the mattress against any tendency for the frame to be pulled upwardly, such as might be the case where the child is strong enough to engage the cover 12 and lift the frame bodily upwardly.

In the use of this form of the invention, a conventional sheet (not shown) is disposed in overlying relation to the mattress 10, after which the frame is first engaged with one end of the mattress with its adjacent tabs 15 underlying the mattress, after which the mattress is'partially folded to engage the opposite end of the frame with the opposite end of the mattress. Then, by permitting the mattress to fall back to its normal horizontal arrangement, the frame will be fully engaged entirely therearound with the tabs 15 underlying and the flange 9 overlying the mattress and the superimposed sheet. A selected cover 12 may then be connected to the foot portion of the frame 5 and possibly along one side flange 9 or 9*, after which the child may be placed upon the bed and the opposite side of the cover buttoned into position. It will therefore be apparent that with the frame held against displacement and the cover being buttoned into position, the child will be protected against kicking or otherwise dislodging the cover.

In the form of the invention, shown in Figures 4 and 5, there has been provided a frame 17, similar to the frame 5 and embodying side walls 18 and end walls 19. A peripheral flange 20, similar to the flange 9, is connected with the upper marginal portions of the side walls 3 18, as at 21. The flange 20 carries the same connecting buttons 22 for detachable connection with cover devices 23. In this form of the invention, there has been provided a sheet 24 that is simultaneously stitched into the connecting seam '21, and with the sheet 'being coextensive with the upper surface of the mattress. Thus, the sheet and the frame and the associated flange 20 are formed as a complete accessory for use with childrens beds and avoids the necessity vof using a separate sheet as described in connection with the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3. With the permanently attached sheet 24, the device as a whole may be laundered in a usual and well known manner, and the device has been-so dimensioned that with the frame 17 in mounted position upon the mattress, the sheet 24 will be disposed over the mattress a relatively taut position aginst wrinkling. The means for holding the frame 17 againstupward shifting movementcomprises diagonal straps 25 disposed across the lower corners of the frame 17 to be stitched thereto, as at 26. The straps 25 are preferably of the same material as the frame 17 and offer a quick and easy means for assembling the frame upon the mattress where it will be effectively held against displacement. The device therefore offers .a very novel and highly efiective means to prevent the child from kicking or otherwise disturbing the protective covers 23.

.It will therefore be apparent from the foregom that a very desirable device has been provided for holding down :one or more covers that are disposed over a child in the usual and well known childfs bed. The structures are easily formed in an economical manner and permit their assembly with the mattresses in an extremely simple manner. The device is cheap to manufacture, is strong, durable and highly eflective in use.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown but that changes are contemplated .as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as determined by the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having described my invention,'what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A retaining means for covers or the like for use with V 4 V mattresses on childrens beds, that comprises a fabric frame that is' coextensive "With the sides and ends of the mattress and whereby the frame isadapted to be disposed in overlying relation to such sides and ends, a peripheral flange stitched'to the upper marginal edge of the frame and with the flange being of flexible fabric, the said stitching forming a seam, the flange being disposed in a horizontal manner for overlying flat relation around the upper marginal surface of themattress, a sheet of fabric that is co-extensive with the upper surface of the mattress and with the marginal edges of the sheet being stitched within the seam connection of the flange to underlie said flange whereby to be permanently connected with the frame and the flange to fully overlie the upper surface of the mattress when the frame is supported thereon, fabric straps that are stitched at theinopposite ends to the lower marginal edge of the frame, the said straps extending across the corners of the frame for underlying engagement with the under surface of the mattress adjacent each corner thereof, the said straps serving to retain the frame against vertical shifting movement with respect to the mattress, spaced apart buttons carried by the upper surface of the flange across one end and the sides and whereby to detachabl-y-c-onnect protective covers that are disposed over a child using the bed whereby to retain the cover against displacement, said covers being provided around their marginal portion with buttonholes that are connected to the buttons of the flange and whereby the covers are held against diplacement.

References Cited .in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,339,758 Callahan et a1 May 11,, 1920 1,573,047 Englander Feb. 16, 1926 1,726,224 Handl Aug. 27, 1929 2,440,891 Bockhold May 4, 1948 2,516,363 Block et al. July 25, 1950 2,644,962 McCrory July 14, 1953 2,662,234 Citron Dec. 15, 1953 2,700,778 Syracuse Feb. 1, 1955 

